Sometimes the simplest attractions from a technological standpoint are the most beloved. Think Peter Pan's Flight in the castle parks or in EPCOT Center's case, El Rio del Tiempo in the Mexico showcase. Upon our first visit in 1983, it was one of my all time favorite experiences. And it still would be... if it wasn't changed to a character filled journey, but that is the future of Epcot.
Take a look at the beautiful piece of concept art for the Mexico pavilion by Imagineer Eddie Martinez. As a Disney park geek, it's the perfect way to begin celebrating Cinco de Mayo before diving into tamales, chips, salsa, and especially margaritas at your favorite restaurant. Or if you are blessed to be in Florida at one of the Walt Disney World restaurants!
Even though Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico's conquest of the French during the time of the Civil War in the United States, nowadays it's just a reason to party. And there's no better place to celebrate as a Disney fan than at Epcot's stunning Mexico World Showcase!
This single pavilion- an instant favorite from our first visit in 1983- has the unique distinction in all of World Showcase of being mostly all indoors. That is changing as the years go on, but from first glance, all guests can see is a waterside restaurant (with amazingly great food at dinner- the best of all restaurants on this side of the park), a small taco stand with adult refreshments, and a large, imposing pyramid in the midst of the jungle. You've got to go deeper to get the true flavor of it all, but it is worth the exploration.
The concept art gives way to a beautiful reality.
how tightly they pack in the diners!
Once you step inside the pyramid, it's a beautiful sight! Reminiscent of Disneyland's glorious Blue Bayou restaurant which overlooks Pirates of the Caribbean, here in Mexico night skies dominate, and the music of mariachis fills the air. The quaint central plaza built in the beautiful Colonial style includes a small museum with hints of Coco, a tequila bar, shopping opportunities, and an enchanting and once great but unfortunately now pricy and mediocre, waterfront restaurant, San Angel Restaurante.
Imagineer Clem Hall's pencil sketch.
Looking past that, colorful lanterns hang in the air while mariachis play their festive tunes. A distant volcano spews smoke, and a smaller pyramid just on the far side of the river beckons further exploration.
of the temple inside.
The mysterious and beautiful setting is the home of a river cruise... into a cartoon world? Yes, but it wasn't always that way.
Although the very charming, dignified, and mysterious El Rio del Tiempo attraction has now been replaced by the escapades of three fowl friends on their Gran Fiesta Tour, the pavilion is still a cause for celebration. Another margarita, anyone? How about we go back in time for a boat ride through Mexican history and and her cultures both ancient and modern instead?
Concept art for inside the showcase.
Let's look at a few pieces of concept art and photos of the splendid Mexico pavillion circa opening year.
Really beautiful, isn't it?
Inside the large temple, a small Mexican village is darkened by eternal nighttime, and there is some celebration happening! We had reservations for a meal during the hottest part of the day and were not disappointed. An absolutely perfect late afternoon lunch sitting waterside sipping margaritas and eating Queso Fundido made it tempting to do nothing else, but the boats cruising El Rio del Tiempo got us out of our seats... eventually.
The boat cruise was designed to be much more grand, closer on the scale of Pirates of the Caribbean in length and immersion. Imagine! However, the budgets were blown and time was short before opening day. Adjustments had to be made, and the signature attraction was truncated. Such is the life of an Imagineer!
Once aboard, our departure onto the river is at once peaceful and mysterious and suspenseful. As we enter a smaller temple, our adventure begins with a dose of Disney magic: Encountering a statue of a high priest who comes to life, dancers soon surround, moving to ancient rhythms. In its original form, this section was the showpiece of the attraction. The history of the indigenous peoples makes for a stunning story- thankfully a depiction of human sacrifices spared- but here, everything was told in an equally artistic and beautiful presentation. From ancient days, we head on.
The doll filled celebration of the Day of the Dead startles in contrast with the flavors of It's a Small World, but it's only a small segment of the ride. The new and colorful style used to tell this potion of the story is almost jarring, but it does keep the guests from getting bored! This is also where the theme song comes to life and gets stuck in your head.
We continue into other regions depicting the Mexico of the Travel Channel: Beaches, parties, and tourist sites. In other words, perpetual Cinco de Mayo. It's a step down from the elegance of what we saw earlier, but it is very playful and thoroughly enjoyable. The music is memorable, and any EPCOT Center lover worth his title as fan can hum the song even while reading this post!
The Imagineers did an excellent job capturing the culture of our friends south of the border. The end result reflected a true labor of love even if doused with a shot of economic reality. It was a beloved attraction that only needed a tune up. However, the suits at Disney were looking for a new way to make a buck once sponsorship had ended, so in came the movie tie-in. This was one of the first steps into turning the park into something that also promoted Disney Intellectual Properties. Done well, Coco would fit in quite easily here.
The finale in Mexico City!
The past is the past, but what a glorious time it was back at EPCOT Center's opening...
Vaya con Dios (Go with God)!
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Photos by Mark Taft aside from the top photo copyright Disney.)
No comments:
Post a Comment